Live Music Picks
Live performances, memorable recordings and close looks at the songs and artists behind them.
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Courtney Hadwin Shifts the Mood With ‘Hard to Handle’ on America’s Got Talent
Courtney Hadwin’s quiet introduction on “America’s Got Talent” gives way to an energetic performance of “Hard to Handle.” Her forceful…
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Pentatonix Build a Layered Live Arrangement of ‘The Sound of Silence’ at the Hollywood Bowl
Pentatonix perform “The Sound of Silence” at the Hollywood Bowl using voices for melody, harmony, bass and rhythm. The live…
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Paul Simon, David Crosby and Graham Nash Share ‘Here Comes the Sun’ in a Harrison Tribute
At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 25th anniversary concert in 2009, Paul Simon performs George Harrison’s “Here Comes…
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Teddy Swims Brings a Close, Expressive Voice to ‘Make You Feel My Love’
Teddy Swims interprets Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” with a warm, textured vocal and measured phrasing. The simple…
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Mark Knopfler Lets ‘Brothers in Arms’ Unfold Slowly in Berlin
In a 2007 Berlin performance, Mark Knopfler gives “Brothers in Arms” a measured live reading with his solo band. The…
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William Joseph Recasts Metallica’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’ as a Cinematic Piano Piece
William Joseph interprets Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” on piano, pairing its recognizable melody with rain-soaked imagery. His arrangement moves between…
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Steven Tyler Brings ‘Dream On’ to Rome With Hauser, Luka Šulić and Orchestra
Steven Tyler performs Aerosmith’s “Dream On” at Rome’s Colosseum with cellists Hauser and Luka Šulić and an orchestra. The arrangement…
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CDK Company Gives Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ a Cinematic Dance Story
CDK Company builds a coordinated dance film around Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know.” A solo opening gives way…
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Robert Downey Jr. and Sting Turn an Unexpected ‘Driven to Tears’ Pairing Into a Duet
At Sting’s 60th birthday concert, Robert Downey Jr. steps into “Driven to Tears” with an assured vocal part. The song’s…
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Miley Cyrus Finds a Quiet, Soulful Shape in ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’
At Rainbowland Studios, Miley Cyrus gives Roberta Flack’s signature ballad a close, country-tinged reading. Her grainy tone and unhurried phrasing…
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Jacob Collier and the National Symphony Orchestra Make the Composition Part of the Show
In bright red overalls at the Kennedy Center, Jacob Collier shapes music in real time with the National Symphony Orchestra.…
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Black Hole Sun Gives Nene Royal’s AGT Quarterfinal a Guitar-Led Rock Identity
Nene Royal brings Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun into her America's Got Talent quarterfinal, connecting electric guitar with an emphatic vocal.…
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Dolly Parton and Pentatonix Give Jolene a Vocal Ensemble Frame
Dolly Parton's familiar lead meets Pentatonix's harmony, bass, and rhythmic voices in Jolene. Rehearsed, recorded, and filmed within a day,…
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Loren Allred Gives Never Enough a Visible Live Voice on AGT Fantasy League
Loren Allred's AGT Fantasy League Never Enough connects the familiar Greatest Showman vocal with the singer on stage. A measured…
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James and Henry Taylor Close Anaheim With You Can Close Your Eyes
James Taylor and his son Henry share You Can Close Your Eyes at the close of the October 30, 2021…
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Eric Burdon Gives House of the Rising Sun the Sound of a Later Chapter
Eric Burdon returns to The House of the Rising Sun in a later live television performance. The Animals singer keeps…
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Inside Shallow: Gaga, Cooper, and the Crew Shape a Musical Film Scene
Behind-the-scenes footage of A Star Is Born shows Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper sustaining the musical exchange of Shallow as…
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P!nk Gives Nothing Compares 2 U a Close Orchestral Reading in the Piano Room
With the BBC Concert Orchestra around her, P!nk sings Nothing Compares 2 U in BBC Radio 2's Piano Room. Measured…
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Christina Aguilera Revisits The Bodyguard’s Ballads in Her Whitney Houston AMAs Tribute
For The Bodyguard's 25th anniversary, Christina Aguilera sings an AMAs medley honoring Whitney Houston. I Will Always Love You and…
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Nene Royal Introduces Her Voice-and-Guitar Rock Approach Through Zombie
Nene Royal's America's Got Talent audition uses The Cranberries' Zombie to establish a guitar-led rock identity. Experience with Phuket band…
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